The Pup Of the Sea
by HavocHound
Summary: During a night swim, Zuma spots a merpup in the bay and he and his friends try to find her again. However, he instead meets a mysterious pup named Misty who he instantly falls in love with. As the two spend more time together, it's clear there is more to Collie then meets the eye, but their feelings are still true. Yet will a secret Misty has force Zuma to make a tough decision?
1. The Merpup

_**AN: This story just came to me while I was planning out Zuma's Fear. Before you worry about anything, this is a romance with a bunch of cuteness in it. I can do stuff other then comedy and tragedy XP. The story is actually already completed, I'm just going to update it every week or so on Friday while doing my regular updates of my other three fics. It's not even that Super Long. This isn't try to be a big surprise twist or anything, just a romance story. The pups are a little bit older in this story. Not yet "Adult Dogs" but like teenagers in a way. They still call each other pups though.  
**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I don't known Paw Patrol**_

* * *

Even before he became the official Water Rescue Pup of Paw Patrol, Zuma loved nothing more than playing by the beaches of Adventure Bay. An orphan for as long as he could remember, Zuma had grown up around the streets and beaches of Adventure Bay and its other nearby ocean towns like Sandy Town, Costal City, and Waterville Ways. For Zuma, the ocean was the first thing he could remember when he was a baby and it marveled him. He taught himself to swim, read the oceans, and even surf when some friendly surfers on vacation that he hung out with. It was how he developed his "surfer accent" as some called it.

It was only four years ago that he was founded, and adopted, by Ryder after he saw Zuma swim into deep water to get a child's lost toy. Seeing such kindness and skill, Ryder offered to give him a home and train him which the Chocolate Labrador said yes to immediately. Since then, he had gotten shelter, food, toys, a chance to increase his swimming skills while using them for good, gone on amazing adventures, and, most importantly, he had a family.

He never said it out loud, but Ryder was always "Dad" in his mind. Sure, Ryder was just a teenager, but he was more mature and smarter than most adults. He cared about Zuma, just as he did with all the other pups, and was always loving towards them with food, education, and care. One time, he got really sick to the point where if he didn't have Ryder and the pups, he was sure he wouldn't have survived. Ryder spent every waking moment those days by Zuma's side, making sure he was healthy. Zuma couldn't have asked for a better owner… or a better father figure.

The "Big Brothers" of the group were the oldest: Chase and Marshall, the Police Pup and Fire Rescue Pup of the team. Chase was brave, a natural leader, and willing to defend the weak and helpless. He was always there to give Zuma good advice or help him with the studies that Ryder gave them to keep his team educated. He was also great against bullies. One time, two mean dogs called Zuma "retarded" because of his speech impairment, sending him home in tears. Chase responded by personally beating the two up and forcing them to apologize. So while Chase was the "serious and protective" big brother, that left Marshall to be the "fun and playful" one. Like other dalmatians, Marshall was full of energy. He was excited as a pup on sugar and wanted the most out of life. Whenever Zuma felt lonely or bored, Marshall was there to play with him in whatever game was optional for them. Marshall was also the kindest and most passionate pup Zuma ever met; always willing to lend a paw and do it with one hundred percent effort while making new friends along the way. His smile was always additive and could a grin on any depressed face. If there was any pup that Zuma could depend on for anything, it was Marshall.

Of course, he had "Big Sisters" as well in the form of two pups: Skye and Everest, the Air Rescue Pup and Mountain Rescue Pup. Skye had found Zuma to be adorable when he first came to the Lookout, and always did her best to make sure he felt at home. After all, it was a bit scary and weird to be living in a new place and she made sure to teach Zuma everything. Like how to use the equipment in the Lookout, how to change into his gear, and (much to his embarrassment) how to use a toilet. Apparently, being a Paw Patroler Pup meant learning not to use the outside as your bathroom unless you had no choice though Zuma still did it because he was used to it. But beyond that, Skye was like a blend of Chase and Marshall: strong and mature, but kind and playful. She was the closest thing to a "Mother" that Zuma had, but he just called her Big Sis due to their ages since they were only three years apart. The wild sister was none other than Everest. While she was the newest member of Paw Patrol, Everest fit right in with them despite living in the frozen wasteland most of her life. She was always looking for an adventure and trying new things, something Zuma could relate to since he traveled a lot when he was on his own. Everest and Zuma liked to always have contests to see who was more daring then the other from bungee jumping to checking out haunted caves. Plus, she wasn't that bad of a surfer since it was similar to snow sledding in her mind. It was nice to have a fellow fearless pup on the team.

While they were older and younger then him respectfully, his "Best Friends" in the whole world were Rocky and Rubble: The Recycling Pup and Construction Pup. Rocky and Zuma actually didn't hit it off well due to Rocky's fear and hatred of all things water and Zuma thought Rocky was a bit of a scardy cat for such a thing. That all changed when during a rescue to fix a broken ship, Rocky fell into the sea and screamed for help. Zuma never saw such a pup panic before and so he dived in and help Rocky, holding on to him as he and Ryder calmed him down. He learned that day that Rocky lost is family in a ship accident in a storm, and Zuma resolved to help him overcome his fear. He taught Rocky to swim, granted it was a long process, and eventually Rocky learned the basics to prevent himself from drowning. He still hated water and did everything to avoid it, but he and Zuma became best pals after that incident. He even helped make surf boards for Zuma so he could keep his skills sharp. With Rubble, who was younger, it was an understanding on his origins. Both he and Rubble were the only ones who grew up without a family and lived for a long time on their own, the others coming from families (Even Everest had one until she lost them in a blizzard) or knowing Ryder their whole lives. Rubble and Zuma had an understanding of survival and bonded over that, often telling stories of their adventures as lonely pups. Both were also the youngest, and worked hard together to show they could be just as effective and strong like their older friends. This soon made a strong bond that solidified their friendship.

All in all, Zuma had a happy life. He had a happy family. He didn't know if he had a family outside of Adventure Bay or not, but he was content with the one he had.

Little did he know, a new pup was going to enter his life that would change him in ways he never knew.

* * *

Zuma had heard of the theory that all life began in the ocean. If such a thing were true, he would have not been surprised. Floating under the sea, and holding his breath, the young pup was letting the ocean waves cradle him like a child in the arms of his mother. It was night, yet the full moon allowed a luminous glow to shine through the surface of the water and provide enough light for Zuma to see.

Ryder rarely allowed Zuma to swim at night, but after that big wave rescue a few days ago he decided to give him the night as a reward. Zuma smirked as he closed his eyes, feeling the warm water against his fur. There was something about swimming at night that made him feel more relaxed than normal. He had tried to get the others to join him, but they never found it as peaceful as he did. _Well, their loss,_ he thought as opened his eyes and kicked upward, breaking the surface for air.

He wasn't too far from the shoreline (It was a rule Ryder insisted on keeping) and he still had plenty of time before having to go home for bedtime. Staring into the moon, his eyes reflected its mysterious glow and he smiled at the sight. Night time was always such an exciting moment in the passage of time. So mysterious, so dark, so cool.

Lying on his back, Zuma closed his eyes and let the sound of the ocean fill his ears. The waves crashing against the sandy beach. The fish jumping in the water and sinking back in. The most heavenly song that Zuma ever heard.

His eyes snapped open and he looked around. Singing. Someone was singing, and the voice was beautiful. Like an angel from heaven, the sound of the song made Zuma's heart beat and his tail tingle. He had never heard something so lovely before, yet it sounded a bit familiar too.

He tried to look around, but as he gazed upon the shore, thinking that the person was there, he heard something splashing out of the water. Turning around, he gazed in awe as something that looked like a cross between a pup and a fish flipped in the air. The droplets of water that she carried with her twinkled in the sky from the reflective light of the moon like diamonds. Yet for all the light in the night sky, Zuma couldn't get a good look at the strange anomaly.

His mouth dropped as the creature fell into the water with a large splash. "W-wait!" shouted Zuma as he dived under, trying his best to find the creature.

He looked and swarm, but there was nobody around. Just the sea and corral. Zuma broke into the surface and couldn't believe what he had seen. Actually, he had seen such a thing before a few years ago while on vacation with his team and Captain Turbot. He just never expected to see another one so soon.

"A merpup…" whispered Zuma.

* * *

"You saw a merpup last night?!" asked Rocky in awe along with the others as they were preparing for breakfast. Even Ryder had stopped in his action of opening the newest dog chow bag in interest.

"Suwe did! And she sang the most beautiful of songs, Dude," said Zuma as the memory of last night played in his head like a movie clip.

"What did she look like?"

"Was it the same one we met last time?"

"Was it a pup or an adult?"

"You sure it was real?"

"Can we eat already! I'm starved!"

Ryder chuckled as he started pouring the food. Into their dog bowls which caused Rubble and Marshall to dig in right away. "Settle down, pups. One question at a time for Zuma."

"Why would a merpup be out here in Adventure Bay? Last time we saw one we were on the other side of the island," said Chase, rubbing his chin.

"Maybe it's looking for a friend?" asked Skye.

"Or it's just adventurous," suggested Rocky.

More theories were given out as the pups switched between eating and talking. Zuma, however, focused more on the blurry image of the pup he remembered from last night. He didn't get a good look at her, but he knew it was at least a she and looked to be his age. He wondered if the merpup was going to be there in the sea tonight or if she was already playing in the water in the day.

"I have to see her again," stated Zuma, thinking out loud which got their attention. "You Dudes want to watch with me tonight?"

"Yeah!" shouted the pups.

"Guess we're having an evening lookout at the beach tonight," said Ryder with a chuckle. "I'll bring us dinner, so all you pups bring whatever beach gear and toys you want for the evening. I have a feeling we'll be waiting awhile."

The pups agreed and went back to working on finishing their morning meal. All while thinking about the possibility of seeing another merpup.


	2. Meeting Misty

_**AN: I was suppose to update this yesterday but it slipped my mind. I'm sorry about that. Seeing Matthias review this made me remember I was suppose to update. Now this isn't going to be one big mystery or anything, it's a romance story, mostly focused on it being cute. Now, please give reviews as detailed as possible because I love those the most. The longer the better. Enjoy.  
**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I don't known Paw Patrol**_

* * *

Since they had plenty of time to wait until nightfall, the gang decided to have some fun at the beach. Ryder had gotten his Frisbee out for a game of catch, then the gang did a three on three volleyball match with Ryder as the referee. Following that, they all went for a swim or surfing; minus Rocky who decided to work on tanning his fur.

After eating a good meal, the sun began to go down and gang watch in silent wonder at the amazement of the sunset. Zuma pretended not to notice, but he saw Chase and Skye slowly shifting closer than usual. He kept on wishing the two would just become a couple already and he was sure he wasn't the only one who thought that. He had to give Chase credit, Skye was quite a cute pup. He would even admit he had a crush on her at one point since she was the only female pup at the time. It faded quickly as it came through, but Chase really seemed to like her and he wanted his buddy to do his best.

Soon enough, the full moon came out and the ocean reflected it's beautiful and mystical wonder. Ryder started up the grill to use to make s'mores for desert, but Zuma wasn't interested in eating. He kept his ears and eyes ready for the merpup, hoping that she would return once again. He wanted to hear her sing again.

However, hours passed and soon it became really late to the point where almost everyone but Zuma was looking ready to pass out. "Maybe we should turn in for the night. It doesn't look like she'll be coming," said Chase, yawning.

"No, she has to come! I know she will!" shouted Zuma, moving forward more for a better view.

"Zuma, I'm with Chase. Maybe she's already swam back home," said Marshall.

A yawn from Ryder alerted the pups as he checked the time. "It's almost midnight. We should go home and get some sleep. You never know when a rescue might be needed and I'd rather you pups get your seven hours of rest."

"But," Zuma sighed in defeat. "Can I at least do one last check around the area to be sure?"

Zuma did his best pouting look to convince Ryder who was too tired to mount a defense against it. "Alright, but just one look. Then we're going home, Zuma."

"I pwomise it won't take long, Dude!" shouted Zuma as he ran left towards the piers.

* * *

"Dang it, no sign of her," whispered Zuma as he checked the area one last time. There was nothing at the docking pier but boats. Sighing in defeat, he lowered his head and whimpered. "I guess she weally isn't coming."

He turned around, but found himself bumping into someone and shook his head. Getting his baring straight, he looked to see who he bumped into… and felt his heart leave his chest and head into cloud nine. Before him was the most beautiful pup he had ever seen in his entire life. He had seen many cute and pretty pups, some adult dogs too. But before him was a rare pearl that made his heart beat. She was a collie about his height, her fur basking in the moonlight as her blue ocean eyes shimmered like the waves of the deep. Her cute small nose and light blush made her look cuter then any primed up dog for a show. Her fur looked so smooth and gentle you could sink into it. And her smile, her adorable white smile.

 _Holy seashells, did I die and God sent an angel to take me away?_ thought Zuma with awe.

"I'm sorry for bumping into you," she spoke so gently it could have been a breeze. She held out her paw and smile. "I'm Misty."

"Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Zuma!" said the blushing pup as he accepted the paw and got up. "And no pwoblem! I should have watched where I was going!"

She tilted her head and asked, "Do I know you from somewhere?"

Seeing a chance to impress her, Zuma puffed out his chest and did is best Chase impersonation. "Uh, yes ma'am! I'm Zuma of Paw Patwol! Water Wescue Pup and Underwater if need be!"

"Oh yeah, I've heard about you and your team," said Misty with a smile. "My owner tells me about you all the time. You're some kind of superhero team, right?"

"W-well, we just rescue a few people here and there. It's no big deal!" laughed Zuma as he rubbed the back of his neck with a slight laugh. Just then his pup tag lit up.

 _"Hey, Zuma? It's time to go. Rubble and Marshall are already asleep so we need to hike back home as soon as possible,"_ said Ryder on the line.

"I'll be there in a minute!" said Zuma before giving Misty a sheepish smile. "Sorry, my owner is calling me. I have to go."

"Okay, maybe I'll see you again?" asked Misty as she stepped aside for him.

"I'd like that!" said Zuma before taking off and sighing with hearts around his head. "Misty… what a name…"

He may not have found a merpup, but he did find one heck of a pup.

* * *

The next day, Zuma woke up bright and early having spent all his dreams on Misty. He ate a quick breakfast, even faster than Rubble, and told the others he was heading to the ocean for the day. The others watched with amazement, thinking he really wanted to try seeing that merpup. They were only half right, he was wanting to see a pup, but not just any pup. _The pup of my dreams…_

Arriving at the same place he was last night, Zuma looked around and hoped to find Misty waiting for him. He never saw her slowly sneaking up on him and going "boo!" which sent him flying into the air before landing. "Misty! You scawed me!" shouted Zuma before shaking his head and blushing. "Uh, I mean you just startled me is all!"

This only made Misty giggle as she looked at Zuma with gentle eyes. "I'm glad you came back. I would think you would be busy since you always rescue people and all."

"That's only if we get called in for a wescue," said Zuma. "So do you wanna play?"

"Sure! What do you play on the surface?!" asked Misty excitedly.

"Suwface?" asked Zuma, tilting his head.

"Uh, I mean here in Adventure Bay!" said Misty, quickly.

"Do you know wag?" asked Zuma.

"Wag? I know how to wag," said Misty looking confused.

Zuma cursed his speech impairment. "S-sorry, that was a mistake. I meant… T-Tag!"

"Oh, tag! I know tag," said Misty with joy. "It's my favorite."

"Gweat! Cause your it!" shouted Zuma tapping her with his paw before running away with laughter in the air. It took Misty a second to realize what happened before she chased after Zuma with just as much mirth.

* * *

The two of them chased each other all over the beach and had a good time. They used every trick they could and even tried swimming to avoid each other. Zuma quickly learned that not only as Misty a good swimmer, she as even faster than him. It was like seeing a torpedo rush out and hit him dead center. After tag, the two decided to go explore in the ocean. Even though he didn't have his scuba gear, Zuma could hold his breath for a long time and the two were able to see all the coral and fish.

The fish really liked Misty as they sometimes swam around her or tickled her for fun. It only made her more amazing in Zuma's eyes. Soon the two headed up the surface again and felt their stomach rumble. "Heh, guess all that playing around made us hungry," said Zuma as they swarm for shore. "Wanna get something at Mr. Powter's?"

"Um, sure?" asked Misty, looking really nervous for some reason. Zuma pushed it off for being just hungry and lead the way.

Along the path, Misty stared at all the sights of Adventure Bay from the cars and trees and asked Zuma what they were and to explain them to her. Zuma was confused at first, but the way she looked at her made him forget and he quickly did his best to explain. She sometimes stopped to test a few things out like water fountains, a hopscotch drawing some kid left, and proudly peed on her first tree according to her.

"You seem to not know a lot about Adventure Bay for someone whose owner lives hewe," said Zuma, raising his eyebrow before noticing something else. "And you don't have a collar either."

Misty gulped as sweat began to drip down her neck. "Well… the truth is… I'm… I'm…"

"A wild dog?" asked Zuma with a smile having figured it out. Most of the clues spoke that she hadn't lived in civilization before and it was clear she was a loner. "You don't have to feel embarwssed. I was once a wild dog too, and some of my best fwiends, Wubble and Everest, were wild dogs who lived on their own before they joined us. I know how some humans and dogs are around wilds, but you don't have to worry about that with me. I like you for who you are, Misty."

"T-thanks!" said Misty, lowering her head in shame. "S-orry, I lied."

"It's okay! Hey, we're at Mr. Powters!" said Zuma as he saw the store.

Said owner was counting his banana's when he heard some familiar barking and turned around. "Oh, hello Zuma. And who is your friend?"

"This is Misty, she and I are wondering if you can whip us something to eat, Dude," said Zuma.

"Sure thing, Zuma. I'll give you some good old fashioned spaghetti and meatballs!" said Mr. Porter as he went into his shop.

"He's actually pretty nice…" said Misty in amazement.

"Never met a human before?" asked Zuma, knowing from Rubble that some wild dogs go through their entire lives without meeting one.

"No, I've seen them but… my father always says that they're not nice," said Misty with a sad tone. "They cause pollution and war."

Zuma bit his lip. "Well, that's twue. Some humans awen't that good. But a lot of them are good! I've met so many nice humans who twy their best to make things wight and fix their mistakes! Twust me!"

"I do trust you… so I guess I can trust humans," said Misty with a smile.

"Here you go, pups! Enjoy!" said Mr. Porter as he placed the plate out for them.

Misty's eyes widened at the sight and smell of the food. Her mouth could be seen watering and Zuma wondered if she had anything to eat recently. Before he was adopted by Ryder, he sometimes went days without good. He let Misty take the first bites as she dived in a second later with tomato sauce all over her face. "In Poseidon's name this is amazing! I've never had anything so good before!"

"Mr. Powter makes the best food! Here, have a meatball," said Zuma, nudging one forward.

The two happily feasted and enjoyed their meal, even asking for seconds and thirds when they finished their plate. Even with spaghetti sauce all over her face, she still looked like an angel to Zuma. He was so entrenched by her beauty that he didn't notice that he took the same string of spaghetti that Misty did and they soon started eating it as they gazed into each others eyes.

They snapped out of it when their lips touched in the form of a kiss. Blushing, the two gasped and turned around, frozen solid at what they had just done. _Oh sweet merciful Sirius! I just kissed her! I kissed her! On, man I thought that Lady and the Tramp thing was just a movie!_

"Um… did you like that?" asked Misty, hiding her face, but it was clear she was just as embarrassed.

"Um… yes?" replied Zuma with a gulp.

"… I did too," said Misty, turning around with a loving smile.

The two pups soon inched closer before their lips touched again. This time they held on as their eyes closed as they let the moment guide them. Misty's lips were like a summer spring of water, cold and yet as fresh as can be. She pressed harder as Zuma slowly cured his head to taste more of her kiss and deliver.

Eventually, air was needed and the two soon broke up and gazed into each others vision, gasping and smiling. "That was… wow…" whispered Zuma in disbelief that he had kissed a girl. A girl he had just only recently met.

"Yeah…" whispered back Misty.

Before the two could do anything else, Zuma's pup tag lit up. _"Paw Patrol! To the Lookout!"_

"Ryder needs us!" said Zuma out of instinct before he gazed at Misty and sighed. "Sorry, Misty. It looks like duty calls."

"Oh, I see. Will you be able to come back tomorrow?" asked Misty.

"Totally, Love," said Zuma before gasping. "Uh, I mean, Dude! No, uh, well, I, uh. Will you be my giwlfwiend!"

His reply was a kiss. "Of course, _Love,"_ answered Misty with a smirk. "Now go save someone."

"Yes, Love!" shouted Zuma as he howled and made his way towards the Lookout. _I got a girlfriend! A girlfriend! This is the best day ever!_


	3. Puppy Love

_**AN: I decided to post this a day earlier because I'll be really busy tomorrow and I might forget. Before people ask, yes I am planning on posting Everest Gone Missing sometime this month now that Falling For My Best Friend is done. The story between Zuma's Fear and Courage will be a little bit longer.  
**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I don't known Paw Patrol**_

* * *

The mission didn't require Zuma to help out, but Ryder's rules were that you weren't allowed to leave the Lookout until the mission was over just in case you were needed. All Zuma could do was just daydream about Misty and the kiss they shared. He never imagined that out of all the pups he would be the first to get an actual girlfriend. Despite Adventure Bay being a popular place for dogs and cat owners, there weren't a lot of other friends the Paw Patrol had despite their fame. They met other dogs and cats, but they always kept to their own group.

Romance was something that had been teased as few times, like how he and Rocky once volunteered to be Skye's "Prince Charming" during Halloween as a joke. There was also Chase's obvious crush on Skye though it was still unsure if she knew of it. Plus, Rocky said there were some hints that Everest and Marshall were liking each other more than friends but both were obvious to what they were feeling for each other.

And yet here he was, the second youngest, with his own girlfriend. Sure he had only met her in one day, but Zuma liked to be quick about his actions and it just felt so right to be with Misty.

Even when the mission was over and the pups ate and went to bed, all Zuma could think about was how he was going to spend his time with Misty. He thought about telling the others about her, but decided to keep it a secret for now.

* * *

The next day, Zuma met Misty again at the same pier they met and decided to explore Adventure Bay a bit more. Well, explore at least for Misty. She had dozens of questions ranging from cars to shops to even the purpose of a fire hydrant. Zuma in turned asked Misty about the ocean. She knew more about it then even Zuma did such as what types of fish there were, coral, and how to tell when storms were coming hours ahead of time.

The two also made sure to nuzzle or lick the cheek of the other, always with a giggle or a smile. They soon came to one of Zuma's favorite places to hang out: the playground. Misty had never been in one but was soon having the time of her life.

She laughed like a little kid as Zuma pushed her on the swings, letting her ears flop around in the air. She even jumped and did a flip before landing on her paws perfectly. Zuma applauded her and then she dragged him out to the sandbox. Working together, they made a great sand castle of a design that Zuma never saw before. When asked what they should call it, Misty said "Puplantis".

They then played on the jungle gym until the sun started to go down. Tired from their adventure, they sat on the top of the slide and nuzzled each other while watching the sun go down. "This was a lot of fun," said Misty, sighing. "I wish we could stay here forever."

"Me too," said Zuma, as he looked at his girlfriend. The two of them smirked before kissing each other, lasting longer then their previous times. Even though he had done this more than once, Zuma felt like each kiss was new and fresh. Like they were falling in love again for the first time.

"You said you were a wild dog once?" asked Misty, breaking the kiss.

"Yeah, I never knew my pawents," said Zuma with a shrug. "I mostly wandered awound until Wyder adopted me. He's like my Dad, you know? And all the other pups are my siblings."

"I got family," whispered Misty, sighing but looking sad.

"Wait, why are you here then and now with them?" asked Zuma, tilting his head.

"I just needed a break… be on my own… they can be very protective of me, but I can take care of myself!" shouted Misty with puffed cheeks.

"Are they far away?" asked Zuma, wanting to know more about his girlfriend. He had heard that some wild dogs form and join packs like wolves, but he never saw one himself.

"Very. It would take at least two weeks to get there," said Misty.

"What do they do?" asked Zuma.

Misty took some time to think about it and stated rubbing her paw nervously. "Well, my dad is like one of our leaders. We have a leader, but he's one of the groups that helps and supports him. My big brother is a warrior, but we don't see him often since he's always busy. And my mother…" she took a deep breath and looked saddened. "My mother died when I was young… in an accident caused by humans. It's why my dad doesn't trust them."

"I'm sorry," whispered Zuma as he nuzzled her while a few tears leaked from her eyes. "I guess I can't blame you for hating humans if that happened."

"I don't hate humans," answered Misty, shaking her head. "I never blamed them for my mother's death. From what I hear it was an accident. I've actually been curious about sur-I mean civilized life for a long time." She smiled as bright as the rays of the sinking sun. "And I love everything about it so far… and I love you, Zuma."

Zuma turned red as he soon began to smile just as bright. "I love you too, Misty."

The two leaned in for another kiss and continued to watch the sun sink.

* * *

This week had been the best Zuma had ever had. For the past five days since he met her, Zuma had spent each of them with Misty and became more and more in love with her each time. They ate, played, and swam together when they weren't kissing. Zuma didn't know if love came this fast, but even if it didn't he didn't want it to end.

The two of them were wrestling in the sand, trying to see who could get on top when Misty finally pinned Zuma down. "Gotcha! You're at my mercy, Zuma."

"Oh, and what howible thing will you do to me," asked Zuma with a grin.

Misty's response was to kiss him as hard as she could which Zuma responded by wrapping his paws around her barrel and bring her closer. That's when he heard a familiar voice cry out, "Wow! We figured you had a new friend, but not like this!"

Zuma gasped as he jumped up, Misty rolling the sand before getting up as well. His five best friends were there grinning at him with knowing looks and a few blushes on their cheeks from seeing the make out session. "What are you guys doing here?"

"You've been spending a lot of time alone, so we figured we'd follow you," said Chase, as he eyes Misty with a smile. "We thought you found a new playmate. We just didn't know it was a different set of play."

Zuma blushed as Misty, who was hiding behind him and looking confused, gently turned to her and said, "It's okay, this is my team. The ones I told you about." He turned to his friends. "Evewyone? This is Misty, my, uh, girlfriend."

Marshall, being the ever lovable and friendly guy that he was, rushed over first and held out his paw. Misty slowly began to shake it. "Nice to meet you, Misty! I'm Marshall, Paw Patrol's Fire Pup! I hope we can be friends!"

Marshall gave his signature cheery smile which, as always, made everyone nearby smile just as bright. It was kind of contagious but in a good way. "Nice to meet you too. Is it true that you always cause crashes in the elevator? Zuma's told me a lot about those," said Misty, giggle at the dumpfounded expression on his face.

"W-what?! No, well not all the time…" chuckled Marshall, rubbing the back of his head.

"Oh, yeah? Last rescue you ended up landing on Chase's face with your butt," said Rocky which made everyone laugh but Chase, who was still trying to forget the smell, and Marshall who just nervously giggled. Walking forward, Rocky nodded and shook paws with Misty. "Name's Rocky. I fix things for the Paw Patrol. Zuma's like my best friend so I hope you treat him right."

"You're the one afraid of water, right?" asked Misty, which earned her a nod. "I've never met anyone scared of the ocean. It's so beautiful and amazing."

"Yup, this is Zuma's girlfriend alright," joked Rocky with a small laugh.

Skye was next as she barked a bit before shaking paws. "I'm Skye! I'm the Flying Pup of Paw Patrol!"

"When Zuma told me you could fly I thought he was joking," said Misty with wide and excited eyes. "Can you really fly?!"

"Yup! I'll show you some time with my wings!" said Skye as she looked pleased at the thought of showing off her skills in the air.

Chase was the next one to come forward and puffed his chest out. "Officer Chase of Paw Patrol reporting for duty, ma'am. If you have trouble, just yelp for help and I'll be there."

"Officer? So you're a guard?" asked Misty, tilting her head.

"I guess that's one way to put it," said Chase, shrugging his shoulders.

"And I'm Rubble! Nice to meet ya, Misty!" said Rubble as he came up and shook paws enthusiastically with her. "When were you going to come to the Lookout and show us your girlfriend, Zuma?"

"Uh," Zuma tried thinking of an excuse, "Um, soon?"

"Why not tomorrow? We can invite Everest and Jake and the whole gang can be there!" said Marshall, jumping in excitement.

"Sure! Sounds like fun, I'd like to meet the rest of Zuma's family," said Misty with a smile. "He's told me so much about you that it would be nice to meet you all."

"Oh, really? What has he told you about us?" asked Rubble with a smirk.

"Well, he says how Chase and Marshall are like his big brothers. Skye and this Everest pup are his big sisters. Rocky and Rubble are his best friends, and your owner, Ryder, is like his dad."

The pups were shocked by this and slowly turned to a blushing Zuma who was pawing the sand. It wasn't that he was bothered by Misty spilling his true feelings, he just felt so embarrassed by that. "You… really see us as your real family?" asked Chase as a warm smile began to decorate on his face as well as the others.

"Well, yeah," confessed Zuma, smiling back. "I love you guys. I wouldn't twade you for anything in the wowld."

"Ah, come give your big brother a hug!" shouted Marshall as he tackled Zuma and squeezed him tight to the point where he was turning blue. "I've always wanted to be the big brother!"

"Hey, I'm his big brother too!" said Chase, getting in on the hug.

"Don't forget the big sister! Arf!" yelled Skye, getting in on the hug.

"Us too! We want hugs!" shouted Rocky and Rubble who laughed and piled on.

Misty saw the whole thing and giggled at Zuma's expression as he felt his organs slowly caving in on themselves. Still, he wouldn't deny he liked the attention.


	4. Party for Misty

_**AN: Sorry for the late update. Yesterday I was so tired from work I decided to just fall asleep for the rest of the day. I had to work both early and late this week but thankfully that's all over. Only three more chapters of this story left.**_

 _ **Also, for those of you who are interested, at the moment of this writing I am working on Everest Gone Missing. My goal is to get the first chapter done this weekend.**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Paw Patrol.**_

* * *

The pups went all out to make Misty feel as comfortable and welcomed at the Lookout as they could get. It was similar to how they did it for Everest when she first came. They had a large banner with her name on it and the image of a few waves since she was such a big fan of the ocean. They had tons of food ranging from pizza to spaghetti, and they had plenty of games set up including Pup Pup Boogie which they had to get Misty to try when she said she never heard of it before.

While Ryder had put himself in charge, it was Zuma who was the most determined to make this welcoming party work out. "Do we have enough balloons?! Is the pizza too hot?! We cleaned the bathroom wight?!"

"Zuma, calm down," said Ryder as he scratched the water pup's left ear which made him stop and melt at the magic touch his owner had. "I'm sure Misty is going to love what you've done with the place; you just need to relax.

"Y-yeah… man that feels good…" said Zuma as he got up and did one final inspection. All of his friends-well family as they wanted to be called now that they knew his true feelings-were finishing up the final touches. Everest and Jake had even arrived to help out and meet the new pup.

"Was it this exciting when I first joined?" asked Everest to Marshall who nodded.

"Yup! We hadn't had a new pup in our team since Rubble and that was at least three years before you showed up," said Marshall as he tried to tie a balloon but it got loose and the air blew into his face, making his ears and cheek go up much the laughter of those nearby.

"Do you think Misty will want to join up with Paw Patrol?" asked Skye, laying down the last of the streamers thanks to her wings. She said she wanted to impress Misty who was looking forward to seeing them the most.

"I don't know, she's a good swimmer according to Zuma," said Chase, shrugging his shoulders.

"Good? Dude, she's better than me!" said Zuma with a proud smirk for having such an awesome girlfriend. "I don't know if she can join though since she doesn't weally have other skills to help out. What do you think, Wyder?"

"Well, we could always have a backup Water Rescue Pup, just in case, but let's just greet Misty for now before asking her to join. We can ask in a few days," said Ryder.

"Hey! I see her coming!" said Skye from the sky.

Zuma's eye lit up as he began to bark with excitement before arriving at the front of the Lookout where a nervous Misty was walking towards them. That sense of uncertainty quickly faded when she saw Zuma and rushed over before tackling him. The two laughed as they licked each other and then finished it off with a passionate kiss. "Alright, save it for desert you two," laughed Chase as the others walked forward, Skye still in the air.

"S-sorry," said Misty before gasping at the sight of what lay before her. "Is… Is this all here for me?"

"Yup, we wanted to welcome you as part of the family now that you and Zuma are together," said Ryder as he walked up and held out his hand. "I'm Ryder. Zuma's owner and the leader of Paw Patrol."

Hesitantly, Misty raised her paw but soon shook with Ryder before showing a smile. "It's nice to meet you, Ryder."

"Hey, don't forget us," said Everest as she walked forward with Jake. "I'm Everest! Mountain Rescue Pup! This is my owner, Jake."

"How's it hanging, Misty," greeted Jake with a two finger salute.

"I thought all the pup of Paw Patrol were Ryder's?" asked Misty, confused.

"Everest is a special case. She lives with Jake up in the mountains, but she's still part of our team," explained Ryder.

"T-thanks for having me over, everybody," said Misty with a bow.

"Hey, anything for the love of our little bro, am I right?" asked Chase, giving Zuma a noogie who happily laughed. Ever since he revealed his true feelings to the team, they hadn't stopped calling him "little bro" (Although Rubble called him big bro since he was the youngest) and Zuma didn't mind. Having everybody openly call each other siblings actually made the group seem more like a family.

"Chase is right, any friend or girlfriend of Zuma's is welcomed to our home," said Ryder with a wide smile. "So are you all ready to get this part started?!"

"Yeah!" shouted everyone.

"Wait, where's Skye? I haven't seen her," pointed out Misty as she looked around.

"I'm up here, Misty!" The collie turned around and upward before her jaw dropped as low as it can go with her eyes looking ready to pop out. Giggling at the reaction, Skye did a few loop-de-loops before asking, "So, do you believe a pup can fly?"

Misty's only response was to faint.

* * *

After she woke up, the gang decided to first dig in since most of them were starving. While Rubble had shown off during the eating of the pizza (and most of the other foods), even he was amazed by the speed of which Misty had taken to the spaghetti.

"When Zuma said it was your favorite food, he wasn't kidding!" said Rubble as Misty finished off her sixth plate of the stuff with one loud slurp.

A small burp followed afterwards which made Misty blush. "E-excuse me."

"Nice one!" laughed Marshall along with the others.

"We've never had good food like this, you folks here sure are lucky," said Misty.

"Yeah, finding food is never an easy thing for wild dogs, huh?" said Everest, speaking from experience.

Misty looked confused for a second before she said, "Oh, right. Yeah. You sometimes have to go starve a few days."

"Man, that is one thing I don't miss during my wild dog years," commented Rubble, shivering at the thought.

"Hey, this isn't a time for bad memories! Let's have some good ones with some Pup Pup Boogie!" shouted Chase, rushing into the Lookout as fast as he could. The others all howled with excitement before following him while Rocky and Skye urged Misty to follow them so she could learn how to play.

Zuma, however, only watched with a happy smile that his girlfriend was not only enjoying herself, but she was getting along great with her friends. _I really own Ryder a lot. He and the pups made this possible. He's always doing such kind things for us._

"Hey, Zuma? You coming?" asked Ryder which snapped the Water Pup out of his thoughts.

"Yeah, I was just thinking," said Zuma who was ready to go but before he did, he stopped and looked at Ryder. The only one who didn't know his feelings on what he thought of him. "W-Wyder? Can I say something? Just to you?"

"Sure, Zuma. What is it?" asked Ryder, kneeling down so he could be as close to eye level as possible.

"W-well, I wanna thank you for evewything you've done. Not just with Misty, but for me in genewal. I owe you evewything that I have in my life."

"Hey, you're one of my pups. I would do anything for you guys," said Ryder, petting his dog.

"Y-yeah, but I just don't see you as my owner, Wyder." Zuma took a big gulp and looked at him with hopeful eyes. "I see you as my dad." Ryder's surprised expression only made Zuma continue. "Y-you the closest thing I have to one… and even though I'm not human and… you're still a teenager… I just… well…"

Zuma suddenly found himself hugged by a teary-eyed Ryder. "Zuma… you're as much as son to me as the rest of the pups. I don't know if I can be called "Father" in public since that might be weird. But if you want to call me that in private and in your heart, that's fine by me… son."

Zuma found himself getting teary-eyed as he hugged Ryder as hard as he could. "Thanks… Dad…."

Placing him down, Ryder then winked and said, "Why don't we enjoy some Pup Pup Boogie now?"

"Oh, crud! Chase might beat my high score! No way am I letting that happen!" shouted Zuma as he rushed inside.

* * *

While Misty wasn't as good at Pup Pup Boogie as the rest of the group, she made up for it in other games like tag, fetch, hide and seek, and cops and robbers. Eventually, the party began to dwindle down as the sun began to lower. Everyone decided to clean up while Zuma wanted to guide Misty to where she was sleeping. She said they could just go by the pier and she can leave him there.

Arriving at the place, Misty and Zuma sat down, paw in paw, as they watched the sun slowly sink into the ocean. "I never get tiwed of seeing this," said Zuma, as he signed at the beautiful sight.

"Yeah, where I'm from we never really see this," replied Misty. "I've seen it a few times, but my dad doesn't like it when I'm sneaking out to see it."

"Is your dad weally strict?" asked Zuma.

"Yes, but he means well. He just wants to protect me since I'm his little girl and all," sighed Misty. "It used to be different, but when Mom died it kinda made him more over protective of me than normal."

"What would he do if he found out you had a boyfwiend?" asked Zuma, gulping.

"Feed you to a shark most likely," giggled Misty. "But I'd make him turn around in the end."

"Yeah, I'd hate our six days together to end up with my funewal," joked Zuma, but Misty gasped and turned her wide eyes towards Zuma. "I was kidding!"

"N-no, not that! Has it really been six days already?!" she demanded as she grabbed Zuma by the shoulders. "Has it been six days?!"

"Y-yeah, why is that a pwoblem?" asked Zuma which made Misty bit her lip. She was quiet for a long time until Zuma asked, "Misty? What's wrong?"

"I… I need to tell you something… but tomorrow! At night!" shouted Misty as she turned away. "It's important and… just please come here by the night, okay?"

"Um, okay," said Zuma. Before he could ask her why, she speed off across the beach and left Zuma confused. "What's going on?"


	5. Duty Before Love

_**AN: Sorry this is a day late. I got home late and was too tired to even upload this. Not much to say, but that I finally put up Everest Gone Missing. Please go read it.**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I don't own Paw PAtrol**_

* * *

Despite his confusion of the overall situation, Zuma had every intent on keeping his promise to Misty. However, he was still bothered by how she reacted when she told him. She seemed scared, maybe even terrified of something happening to her. If she was in danger, he was going to do everything he could to protect her.

The morning he ate very little and decided to head to the pier anyway to see her, but there was no sighting of her. He waited for little over an hour before giving up, deciding to see her late tonight like she asked.

When he arrived home, the pups were quick to see his depressed expression. Marshall was the first to asked, "Hey Little Bro, everything ok?"

"I don't know…" admitted Zuma, shrugging his shoulders. "Something doesn't feel wight. Or at least I'm afwaid it won't feel right." He quickly told them what happened last night and the others began to ponder with him as well.

"That is kinda strange. I mean, Misty was having so much fun when she was here," said Skye, thinking about her joyful smiles and laughs at the party.

"It sounds she forgot something important and had to tell you, Zuma," deducted Chase. "Could she be wanting to head home to her pack?"

Zuma bit his lip. He had thought of that, but that was what worried him the most. _What if she weally does want to leave me?_

"Maybe we can search for her together?" asked Rocky to which the other pups nodded.

"Really, you guys do that for me?" asked Zuma with a smile.

"Sure thing, buddy! We like Misty too and we pups are there for each other!" said Rubble as the others barked in agreement.

However, before anyone could do anything, all their dog tags lit up at once followed by Ryder's voice. _"Paw Patrol! To the Lookout!"_

They didn't shout out their usual catchphrase and instead looked at each other with worry and then towards Zuma who was torn by what to do. He wanted desperately to look for Misty, but he knew he had a duty to help those in need. Chase, as if sensing his torn loyalties, quickly said, "Let's head up to Ryder and see whose needed for the mission. The ones who aren't needed can look for Misty."

"What about Ryder's rule of not leaving the Lookout?" asked Rocky.

Chase looked back at a pleading Zuma before nodding. "I'll accept full responsibility as second in command."

Zuma launched his paws around Chase's neck and nuzzled him. "Thanks, Chase! I owe you!"

After breaking the hug, the team rushed towards the elevator. However, as usual, Marshall missed his step upon leading the team and cause the rest of the pups to trip over him and roll into the elevator before slamming face first into the glass. Marshall, the last to enter, chuckled nervously and said, "Well, at least we got in faster."

"And yet my nose feels like it's about to pound into my skull," muttered Rocky as he rubbed his muzzle.

The elevator soon rose up and the pups quickly put on their gear before continuing the ride. When they reach the top of the Lookout, where Ryder was waiting for them, they all jumped out and stood in attention. Chase, their leader, spoke for them as he stated, "Paw Patrol ready for action, Ryder sir!"

The serious look on Ryder's face never changed as he pressed his pup pad and showed what look to be a town with a dam nearby. "Pups, we got a serious emergency this time. The nearby town of Watercreek has a dam that collapsed and is flooding the town! Combined with the fact that his town is near the ocean and its going to be hide tide eventually and we're looking at a big flood."

The six of them all gasped in shock as the thought of such destruction raging in such a small town brought fear into their minds. "Are the town's people okay?!" asked Marshall.

Shaking his head, Ryder sadly replied, "We've already got a list of causalities, and many more are injured. Rescuers are already on the scene but we've been called in to help. Everyone is going to have to pitch in for this one. I already sent Everest and Jake ahead to help with evacuations into the nearby mountains for the townsfolk. We're all going to be taking the Paw Patroler to help out."

While Zuma felt upset that this meant none of them could look for Misty, he realized that the real focus should be on the poor people of Watercreek. He pushed aside his feelings and took a deep breath. "We're weady to do what we can, Wyder."

"Good to hear, Zuma." Ryder then showed each of their tags one by one and explained the plan. Marshall, Zuma, and Chase were going to be part of the rescue team to help anybody trapped or stuck in the rubble from the floor. Getting people out of their homes and to one of the safe zones was the priority. Marshall would also bring his EMT puppack just in case he was needed to help people medically with the Red Cross. Skye would be aerial support and recon, reporting anything that she could see in the air. Rubble would be using his rig to move any debris around so that it would be easier for people and vehicles to move around. Finally, Rocky was going to work with the construction workers on doing what they can to fix the dam.

"Everybody know their assignments?" asked Ryder to which all the pups nodded. "Alright, Paw Patrol is on a roll!"

* * *

Call the situation a disaster was an understatement. It was full blown chaos. What little of the area that wasn't completely devastated by the flood provided very few paths for Marshall, Rubble, and Chase with their vehicles. The water would take too long to dry out, leaving Skye, Zuma, and Ryder with his jetski to search around the wet areas of the town while the others did their best outside of the town area.

Zuma gazed his eyes over towards the big broken dam in the distance. From what Skye could report from above, anything 100 miles from it was completely wiped out and most of the causalities were from that area. Zuma had seen death before on this job, you couldn't always save everyone. That didn't mean he enjoyed seeing it.

 _At least I haven't seen any dead floating bodies,_ thought Zuma, trying to keep a mostly positive set of thoughts while dealing with all this. So far he and Ryder had come across multiple people who needed help back to the medical camp area through the watery streets. Sometimes they had to call in a chopper to evacuate as well.

Avoiding a low branch. Zuma continued to keep his eyes and ears ready for any sign of a struggling civilian. All the while, he kept glancing at the clock in front of him. It was getting late into the afternoon, and he feared that he was going to break his promise to Misty if they didn't hurry things up. He knew that he shouldn't be putting his girlfriend above his duties, especially with so many lives at stake, but he couldn't help it.

 _I got a really bad feeling about this,_ thought Zuma. _She looked so nervous and scared. I'll even say that I saw shame in her eyes. What could be wrong?_

"Zuma, look over there!" shouted Ryder, waking the pup from his thoughts. He was pointing to what looked like a near collapsing house that was slowly sinking into the water. On top of it was a little girl, who looked be no older the Alex's age, and her black furred kitty. She was waving with a white sheet in her hands upon spotting both Ryder and Zuma. "Come on!"

Ryder drove his jetski faster as did Zuma with his hovercraft, although they took it slow upon getting closer to the near fallen house that was creaking every few seconds. "You okay, little giwl?" asked Zuma,

"Y-yes! Can you get me out of here?! I wanna get back to my Mommy!" shouted the girl as she held on to her kitty who was meowing in fear of the water.

"It's going to be okay," reassured Ryder. "Can you jump into my pup's hovercraft?"

"I… I don't know," whispered the girl, shivering.

"What if I jump with you? Will that be okay?" asked Zuma, to which the little girl nodded. She held onto her kitty as tight as she could while Zuma jumped up onto the roof of the building and walked over to her. Gently walking right next to her, the two faced the empty hovercraft. "Are you weady? Three. Tw-"

Before he could even finish, Zuma could already feel the roof ready to break. Acting on instinct he pushed the girl off into his hovercraft before the roof below him broke apart. "Zuma!" shouted Ryder's voice as Zuma felt himself fall into the cold water while rubble from the house fell apart around him.

He tried to swim, but something big hit him on the head and he blacked out in an instant.


	6. Family or Love

_**AN: There is a reason for this short chapter. You'll see at the end. Sorry for not uploading this yesterday. I got caught up in a few things.  
**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I don't own Paw PAtrol**_

* * *

A church bell rang as all of Adventure Bay held a moment of silence for one of its own lost in the line of duty. It had been three days since the flood in Watercreek. Three days since Zuma of Paw Patrol had died. His body was never recovered, but all the experts agreed that the chances of him surviving a collapsing house underwater and surviving were too slim to even think about. All of Adventure Bay had been decorated in black and orange out of respect for the lost little water pup. A public memorial was done yesterday for the town, but Ryder requested that the funeral be private for him and his pups. The Mayor agreed, but also decided to mark the day Zuma died as Zuma Remembrance Day.

The pups spent that amount of time searching for Misty as well, to tell her the sorrowful news, but they couldn't find her. In the end, they gave up and assumed she learned the truth or ran away for other reasons.

Ryder, his five pup including Everest, all stood in front of a single grave stone outside of the Lookout that held the name and puptag of their lost family member. Each of them was in black and had tears in their eyes. Marshall and Rocky were in such hysterics over their loss that they had to be held by the others. Nobody could say anything as the grief was too much. They had lost their little brother... and for Ryder, deep down, he lost a son.

* * *

Miles away, in the deep ocean, a little pup was opening his eyes for the first time in three days. He moaned as he slowly got up from what felt like a sandy ground. Not to mention that it felt strangely wet around him. _What happened? I remember trying to save the girl... and then I fell into the water... the house collapsed._ Zuma slowly opened his eyes and but upon doing so began to panic. He was underwater! He tried to hold his breath and swim up to the surface when he felt weird trying to move his rear legs. He blinked and slowly look down, only to gasp.

A fish tail.

He had a fish tail

The only time he ever had a fish tail was...

 _"I'm a merpup again?!"_ asked Zuma in shock as he suddenly realized he could not only speak but breath underwater as well. "W-what? How did this happen? I don't..."

And that's when he heard it. The song that he heard many nights ago when he was swimming alone. A voice that sounded like an angel-no a goddess. _That merpup from that night!_ thought Zuma as he looked around for any sight of her and decided to follow the sound with his ears. He swam as fast as he could until he passed by a sea of seaweed that he saw the merpup, singing on a stone as fish swam around her.

Zuma's eyes widened and his heart stopped as he finally got a look at the merpup he couldn't see that night. It was a very, very familar pup. One that made his heart cry with joy but also confusion.

"Misty?!" shouted Zuma as the collie slowly turned around and saw Zuma.

"You're awake!" shouted Misty as she swam over and kissed Zuma on the lips. Zuma wouldn't deny that he missed those lips as he felt her paws wrap around him and slowly he let himself be taken into the kiss. He had never kissed underwater before, but upon doing so he would say this was the closest pleasured feeling to mating he ever had.

The kiss soon ended as Misty looked at him with loving eyes. "I was so worried you weren't going to wake up. It's been three days and... oh, Zuma I was so worried."

"Misty... you were that merpup?" asked Zuma as so many questions came threw his head. "W-why didn't you tell me?"

Misty whimpered and lowered her head. "I didn't think you would believe me... and I was scared you wouldn't love me if I told you the truth."

"... what happened?" asked Zuma, touching his chest. "How am I alive?"

"I followed you," said Misty with a sigh. "When I saw you and the others leave the Lookout from the ocean, I decided to follow you to that flooded town. The water from the ocean connected to the town so I could enter it. When I saw you collapse into the house, I rushed in and grabbed you. You were dying, Zuma. To save your life I temporary turned you into a merpup with my magic."

"Misty," whispered Zuma as he smile and leaned forward, kissing her cheek. "Thank you for saving my life..."

"I love you," said Misty, with a tear in her eyes. "Zuma I've been in love with you for months."

"Months?" asked Zuma, tilting his head.

"I... I've watched you. I first came to the shores of Adventure Bay to see how humans lived when I saw you and Ryder helping that poor whale from the oil spill. My mother... she died the same way," whispered Misty. "I realized that surface dwellers are good people, despite what my father has always said. Since then, I've watched you from the ocean. I... grew to admire your courage, kindness, and determination. I fell in love you, Zuma and I wanted to meet you so badly. So I used a powerful spell to make me a regular dog for seven days... the night you were suppose to meet me I was going to tell you the truth."

Zuma just stood there in shock as Misty confessed everything to him. "Misty, I don't know what to say..."

Misty took her paws with his. "Zuma... will you come with me to Puplantis?"

"Huh?!" asked Zuma. "Puplantis?"

"It's Atlantis, but we're all pups. You wouldn't be the first surface pup to join us. Many merpups have taken lovers from the surface to start families at home," said Misty. "I love you, and I cannot use the spell again to live on the surface. Those seven days were my old days I can be a normal pup... and I don't want to end our love by going our separate ways."

"Wait, I thought this form was temporary?" asked Zuma.

"I can make it last forever, you just need to say the word, Zuma," answered Misty, smiling. She then frowned. "Of course, this would mean... that you would leave your friends forever."

His friends. In all his excitement, Zuma forgot about his friends. "How are they?! Are they okay?!"

"They are alive, but are in grief," whispered Misty which made Zuma tilt his head. "They believe you died in the flood. I saw the memorial held for you on the beach just yesterday."

"They think I'm dead..." whispered Zuma, whimpering. "I... I can't let them think I'm dead! I have to see them!"

Zuma was about to swim for shore when Misty shouted, "Wait!" He stopped and turned to her. "Zuma, I need to know. Will you come with me and live with me forever... or will you stay with your family?"

"C-can't we still see each other?" asked Zuma, despertnly.

Misty shook his head. "Even now, I know my father has sent guards to find me. I have to leave now. I won't blame you if you choose your family over me, but if I go... you may never see me again."

Zuma stood frozen as he tried to think of what to do. Should he head back home... or be with the love of his life?

 _ **The Choice Is Yours**_

 _ **Choice 1: Zuma returns home to his family, but will never see Misty, the pup he loves, ever again**_

 _ **Choice 2: Zuma leaves with Misty, the love of his life, for Puplantis, leaving his family forever**_


	7. The Choice

_**AN: Here is the final chapter. The choice has been made by you guys. Reason I asked was this will effect the follow up to this story sometime in the future. This was fun to write and I hope you enjoyed it.  
**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I don't own Paw PAtrol**_

* * *

Zuma thought of his family, the pups and Ryder who he loved very much. Yet he looked at Misty, pleading with him via those amazing eyes that he could stare into forever. Family or love. The land or the sea. Paw Patrol or Misty...

He closed his eyes and slowly swam to Misty's side. Hugging her, he whispered, "Okay... I'll go with you..."

Misty gasped and stared at Zuma. "R-really? But... you know this means..."

"I know," whispered Zuma with a sigh. "But I feel that I have to go with you. Misty, if I lost you... I don't know what I would do or if I could ever move on." He held her paws with his. "We were meant to be together. I know this. We're destined to be mates... if that means "Zuma of Paw Patrol" must die on the suwface... then so be it."

Misty's response was a kiss on the cheek. "I know this is hard... and I know you love your family. Believe me, if there was another way I would give it to you but..." She lowered her head. "You must think me selfish for wanting you."

Zuma smiled and placed a paw on her cheek. "I'm just as guilty for choosing you over the others."

"D-do you want to speak to them before we go?" asked Misty, holding his paw against her cheek and nuzzeled it.

"No," whispered Zuma, lowering his head. "I'm scawed that they won't understand... or be angwy with me... let them think I'm gone so they can move on..."

Misty nodded and sighed. "Okay, let's go. I'm sure my brother and his guard will be arriving soon. Let me do the talking so that they don't spear you on sight."

Zuma nodded as he Misty swam ahead. He looked back at the direction where the surface was. Did he make the right choice? Was this one choice something he would regret later on? Was choosing love over his family the better option? He didn't know, but he hoped that things worked out in the end.

 _Goodbye you guys,_ thought Zuma as he took a deep breath and followed his girlfriend towards a new life and a new future.

* * *

(One Year Later)

Rocky placed the flowers on the grave as as small sad smile decorated his lips. He sat down and stared at the gravestone that held his best friend's name. "Hey, Zuma. Happy Birthday," said Rocky, lowering his head and staring into the ground. "I bet your celebrating it in heaven. We're planning one too, even though you won't be here so if you come by in spirit that would be great." He closed his eyes and whispered, "I'm getting used to days when your not around. We all are, but sometimes I can see the others staring at your grave and they look... lost... I guess I'm the same way."

"We finally decided to get a new water rescue pup. Marshall admits he cannot do the job any longer and balance three at the same time," muttered Rocky. "It's a girl, a Shiba Inu and... well..." Rocky blushed as a smile decorated his face. "She's kinda cute. Like, really cute. Her name is Aqua." Chuckling, Rocky said, "I know. Funny, huh? Me falling for a girl who loves water so much? She's kinda like you only more graceful then brave."

"I wonder if this is how you felt around Misty... of course, I don't know where she is now, but I hope she never comes back," growled Rocky. He never forgave that bitch for never coming to Zuma's funeral or even afterwards. It was like she didn't care at all about Zuma. Some of the others were the same way like Chase and Skye, but Rubble, Marshall, and Everest believed that something must have happened.

"Just... give me the courage to ask her out, where ever you are, Zuma," said Rocky as he got up, sheding a tear. "I just pray that whereever you are... you're happy."

He smiled before turning around and left the empty grave alone.

 _ **The End**_


End file.
